Faulty phone returned to company has gone missing

lemontop

Hi

I recently upgraded my mobile phone and got a new handset. After a couple of days I realised it was faulty so the company agreed to send me a new phone. They said that a courier would come, take the old phone and give me a new phone. This exchange took place almost 4 weeks ago.

Today I got a call saying that the box I had returned only had a charger and user guide in it but the handset was missing. I definitely definitely sent back the phone and everything that had come with it so it has been stolen somewhere between me handing it to the courier and it being received at the warehouse.

The lady on the phone kept stating that the handset needed to be found and if not 'someone' had to pay for it. So my question is who is liable for this: Me, the courier or the mobile phone company? I really don't want to have to pay for a phone I don't even have!!

Meadows

Was the box sealed when it was sent and sealed when received?

Not sure what you can prove unless you can prove the items were in the box and the box was sealed - one word against another. It could have gone missing anywhere along the way.

lemontop

I sealed the box. They didn't say if the box was sealed when the received it but I forgot to mention that an empty kindle box had been put in the packaging so it had obviously been opened. i am just worried that they are going to try and make me pay for it. If it's my word against theirs how can they prove that I didn't include the phone?

Meadows

You can't prove anything here and for all you know the contents were removed when received by the phone company. Yes you will be expected to pay if the phone can not be traced.
Ask them if they can monitor the Sim or where to go from here.
I would also put it in writing to head office and try to keep all your correspondence in either letter or email so you have a record of what is being said.

lemontop

There was no sim. It was an upgrade phone so I was using my old sim, which I kept so I don't think the phone is traceable. GRRRRRRRR

Meadows

lemontop wrote: »

There was no sim. It was an upgrade phone so I was using my old sim, which I kept so I don't think the phone is traceable. GRRRRRRRR

All you can do is ask them to question the courier or contact them yourself but sorry don't hold out too much hope

berkshiregaz

I hadnt realised until recently that the mobile phone provider can do a check on the IMEI of the missing phone which will tell them if someone has tried to use it with a different SIM (any of the networks) this may go someway to proving the phone has been stolen in transit, I dont think they advertise that they can do this but I assure you it can be done!

lemontop

Thanks. That's something I can mention to them. I mean surely they must have protocol for this sort of thing.

visidigi

Ask the phone company to ring the courier and ask for the weight it was billed at in transit, then weigh the items they have in their possession.

If there is a discrepancy then they know the courier employees have stolen it.

Fire_Fox

IMO report the theft to the police, supply the crime reference number to both the couriers and phone company with a letter of complaint. Request that a formal investigation is undertaken and ask for any logged weights to be checked.